Incubator and analyzer including such incubator

Abstract

An incubator comprises an incubating block (12) for incubating a sample at an any desired processing temperature by storing a well rack (14) held the sample such as specimens for instance, under that temperature, a cooling block (13) set to a cooling temperature, a dummy rack (15) which are cooled in the cooling block (13) during an incubating process, as well as first and second pushers (18a, 18b) and first and second carriages (19a, 19b) which together exchange the well rack (14) and the dummy rack (15) with each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An incubator comprising: a vessel for holding a sample;   a well rack for accommodating said vessel;   incubation means for incubating said sample at an any desired processing temperature by storing said well rack under that temperature;   cooling means set to a cooling temperature; a dummy rack being cooled by said cooling means during said sample incubation; and   exchange means for exchanging said well rack and said dummy rack with each other between said incubation means and said cooling means.   
     
     
       2. An incubator comprising: a vessel for holding a sample;   a plurality of well racks for accommodating said vessel, being arranged parallel to one another;   incubation means for incubating said sample at an any desired processing temperature by storing said well racks under that temperature;   cooling means set to a cooling temperature;   a plurality of dummy racks being cooled by said cooling means during said sample incubation, and said dummy racks being, arranged parallel to one another and;   injection means, settled at an injecting position set between said incubation means and said cooling means, for injecting the sample into said well of said well racks passing the injecting position; and   exchange means for exchanging said well racks and said dummy racks with one another between said incubation means and said cooling means by transporting said well racks and said dummy racks through the injecting position.   
     
     
       3. An incubator according to claim 1, wherein said incubation means includes a cooling fan which is operated when lowering the processing temperature. 
     
     
       4. An incubator according to claim 1, wherein said cooling means includes cooling acceleration means for accelerating cooling operation. 
     
     
       5. An incubator according to wherein a groove for accelerating heat dissipation by increase of its surface area is formed in said dummy rack. 
     
     
       6. An incubator according to claim 1, wherein said incubation means and said cooling means individually store a plurality of said well racks and said dummy racks parallel to one another in such a way that they can be moved in one direction, said incubation means and said cooling means being arranged parallel to each other; and wherein said exchange means includes:   a first pusher, provided at one end of said incubation means, being capable of pushing out any one of said well racks and said dummy racks stored in said incubation means to its other end;   a second pusher, provided at one end of said cooling means, opposite to the end of said incubation means where said first pusher is provided, said second pusher being capable of pushing out any one of said well racks and said dummy racks accommodated in said cooling means to its other end; and   carriages provided at both ends of said incubation means and said cooling means in such a way that said carriages can move in a direction along which said incubation means and said cooling means are arranged, said carriages being capable of holding any one of said well racks and said dummy racks pushed out by said first pusher and said second pusher.   
     
     
       7. An analyzer comprising a plurality of incubators according claim 1 and examination means for examining samples of said well racks stored in said incubators, said examination means is shared by said incubators. 
     
     
       8. An analyzer according to claim 7, which further includes a transport means capable of moving to an any desired position over said incubators so that it can carry the samples to and from said well racks, said examination means is attached to said transport means. 
     
     
       9. An analyzer comprising a pair of incubators according to claim 6 and examination means for examining samples of well racks stored in said incubators, said examination means is located on a path along which each of said carriages travels between said incubators.